Device for controlling air pressure



Nov, '8, 1927-. 1,648 807 J. c. HAGEY DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING AIR PRESSURE 2 sheets-sheet 1 3552 .1 J nk m Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,807

J. c. HAGEY DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING AIR PRESSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES CLARKE HAGEY, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNDR TO THE CABLE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING AIR PRESSURE.

Application filed January 13, 1923. Serial No. 612,375.

This invention relates to devices for controlling air-pressure and, more specifically, to devices for controlling the air-pressure in the actions of automatic musical instruments.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide such a device which will be durable and efficient, simple in principles of construction and operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the character indicated by means of which the degree of rarefaction of the air in the action of an automatic musical instrument may be con trollably varied, and which will be prompt and reliable in affording such controllable variation under the varying conditions found in practice.

Further objects will appear from the detailed description to follow and from the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which an embodiment of the invention is shown,

Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of a device for controlling air-pressure, part of the casing being removed to show the interior construction;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the other side of the device, parts being broken away to show the interior construction;

Fig. 3 is a section, substantially on the line 3% of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4; is a sect-ion, substantially on the line 4l-l of Fig. 2;

F 5 is'a section, substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detail plan views of dilierent spring-controlling cams;

An automatic musical instrument, of the type with which this invention is'concerned, usually comprises a wind-chest, associated with the note-sounding action of the instru ment, and power-operated air-pump for withdrawing the air therefrom. The degree to which the air in the action wind-chestis rarefied or, as it will be hereinafter expressed, the degree of air-tension produced in the action wind-chest, by the withdrawal of air therefrom, determines the power with which the note-sounding action is operated, and the power with which the notes are thus sounded may consequently be varied to produce desired musical effects byvarying the degree of air-tension in the action wind-chest.

During the automatic operation of an instrument of this kind, the air-pump is preferably operated at a substantially constant speed to displace a substantially uniform volume of air; The volume of air withdrawn from the action wind-chest varies in accordance with the operation of the notesounding action, and the volume withdrawn from the other pneumatically operable mechanisms of the instrument likewise varies in accordance with their operation, but the total volume of air thus withdrawn rarely,

if ever, equals the volume displaced by the operation of the air-pump. The remainder of the total volume of air displaced by the air-pump-that is to say, the surplus, or the part which is not'utilized in effecting the operation of the note-sounding action and of the other pneumatically operable mechanismsis drawn through an atmospheric air-inlet which is governed in some manner to enable the air-pump to develop a degree of air-tension sufficient to operate the instrument and sound the notes with the desired power.

The degree of air-tension in the action wind-chest may be controlled (1) by governing the passage of air from the action windchest to the air-pump, or it may be controlled (2) by governing the admission of air through the atmospheric air-inlet. With the first-mentioned method of control, the atmospheric air-inlet is provided with a relief or safety valve which acts automatically and is adjusted to admit atmospheric air whenever a predetermined desired maximum degree of air-tension has been developed. For loud or heavy playing, the governing of the passage of air from the action wind-chest to the air-pump may be such as to allow this maximum degree of air-tension to apply in the action wind-chest, and, for softer or lighter playing, the governing of said passage of air' may be such as to prevent the degree of air-tension in the action windchest from approaching the maximum, the power with which the notes are sounded being thus controlled by controlling the extent to which the degree of air-tension developed by the airpump is applied in the action wind-chest. Regardless, however, of the degree of airtension allowed to apply in the action windchest, the air-pump continues to develop the predetermined desired maximum degree of air-tension, the relief valve serving its designated oiiice of admitting atmospheric air only when such. maximum has been reached. This means that, during operation of the instrument, the air-pump must operate constantly under its full working load, whether the playing be soft or loud. With the second-mentioned method of control, no provision is made for governing the passage of air from the action wind-chest to the airpump, such passage being free and time stricted at all times during operation of the notesounding action. The admission of air through the atmospheric air-inlet is governed, however, in such a manner as to enable the degree of air-tension developed in the action wind-chest by the air-pump to be controlled. For loud or heavy playing, the governing of the admission of air through the atmospheric air-inlet may be such as to prevent such admission until a predetermined desired maximum degree of air-tension shall have been developed by the air-pump, and, for softer or lighter playing, the governing of said admission of atmospheric air may be such as to permit such admission upon the development of various predetermined degrees of air-tension lower than the maximum, the power with which the notes are sounded being thus controlled by deter mining the degree of air-tension at which air will be admitted through the atmospheric air-inlet. This method of control is to be distinguished from the first-mentioned method in that the air-pump is not required, at any time, to develop any greater degree of air-tension than is necessary for the operation of the instrument with the desired power.

The device herein shown and to be described is designed tor use with the secondmentioned method of control, and its construction is of the general type disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,359,698, issued November 23, 1920, comprising a plurality of selectively effective devices adapted to auto matically control the admission of atmospheric air, the several devices being designed or adjusted to act with ditlerent controlling effects, whereby, through their sele::tive employment, the degree of air-tension eliiective in the action wind-chest oi an automatic musical instrument may be controllably varied.

The pressure-contr0lling device 10 may be connected, by means of the conduit 11, di rectly with the action wind-chest oi? the instrument, with the air-passage connecting the action wind-chest with the air-pump, or with the air-pump itself. The controllers or regulators 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 are adapted to control the admission. of atmospheric air to the conduit 11 and, with the device connected in any one of the three mentioned ways, the air so admitted will limit the degree to which air-tension may be developed in the action wind-chest. Although similar in general principles of construction and operation, the several controllers differ from each other in their ai1'inlct-controlling effects, whereby, through a selective employment of the different controllers, the extent to which the degree of air-tension is so limited may be controllably varied.

The means provided for obtaining the selective employment of the diiiierent controllers comprises a series of communicating chambers 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, which are arranged one above another and which communicate, respectively, through the ports 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 (Figs. 2 and 4), with the several controllers 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. The chambers communicate with each other through ports 27, 28, 29 and 30, which are controlled, respectively, by valveanechanisins 31, 32, 33 and 34, and the lowermost chamber 21 is in direct communication with the con duit 11 through the port 35 and passage 86 in the block 3'7.

The valve-mechanisms 31, 32, 33 and 34 are substantially alike in construction and operation. Each comprises a valve-member 38 for closing its respective port, and a bel lows-pneumatic 39 for operating the valve member. The interior of each of the pneumatics 39 is in communication, through a conduit 40, with a valve-controlled passage 41 in the valve-action wind-chest 42, and the interior of the wind-chest 42 is in communication with the lowermost chamber 21 through the conduit 43 (Fi 2). The valve-actions for individually controlling the several passages 41 are alike and may be of any usual or suitable construction to control the alternate inflation and collapse of the pneumatics 39 by alternately placing the respective conduits 40 and passages 41 in communication with the atmosphere and with the interior of the wind-chest 42. Each passage 41 may be provided with an upwardly opening atmospheric port 44 (Fig. 5) and with an exhaust port 45 opening downwardly into the wind-chest 42, and each valve-action may comprise a double valve 46 for controlling each pair of ports 44 and 45, and a diaphragm-pneumatic 47 for actuating the double valve. Each of the pneumatics 47 may be selectively controlled, either automatically from the tracker and music-sheet or manually "from a manually controlled valve, through a conduit 48. The usual vent or bleed 49 is provided to accomplish the deflation of each pneumatic 47.

As will be hereinafter more fully described, the controller 12, communicating with the uppermost chamber 17 through port 22, is adapted to operate to admit atmospheric air upon the development of a comparatively light degree of air-tension. The controller 13, communicating with the next lower chamber 18 through port 23, is adapted ill) to operate to admit atmospheric air upon the development of a. somewhat greater degree of air-tension; and so on down with the other controllers 14, 15 and 16, the construction and adjustment of the several controllers being such that, taken in the numerical order just given, they may be considered as requiring progressively greater degrees of air tension to effect their operation, the least degree of air-tension being required by the controller 12 and the greatest degree being required by the controller 16.

Operation of the air-pump will withdraw air from the action wind-chest and, through the conduit 11, from the lowermost chamber 21. Consequently, air will be withdrawn from the wind-chest 12 through the conduit 43 and, if the pneumatics 47 are in inactive position and the double valves 46 in lowered position, air will also be withdrawn from each of the several pneumatics 39 through their respective conduits 40, passages 41, and exhaust ports 45. The pneumatics 39 will remain collapsed and the ports 27 to 30 will remain open, with the effect that the withdrawal of air through the conduit 11 from the chamber 21 will result in the withdrawal of air from all of the five chambers 17 to 21. Under such conditions, the degree ot airtension effective in the action wind-chest and the power with which the notes will be sounded will be determined mainly by the controller 12, since the operation of that controller under a comparatively light degree of air-tension to admit atmospheric air will prevent the air-tension from increasing to the degree at which the other controllers are adapted to operate. A certain amount of air may be admitted under the control of some of the other controllers, particularly the controller 13, which, being adapted to operate upon the development of the degree of air-tension nearest that at which the controller 12 is adapted to operate, may be caused to partially operate at the same degree of air-tension at which the controller 12 is in full operation. In other words, the degree of air-tension which will occasion the full operation of the controller 12 may occasion partial operation of one or more of the other controllers.

Upon the inflation of any one of the pneumatics 47 to raise one of the double valves 16, the respective exhaust port -15 will be closed and the corresponding atmospheric port 414 will be opened; the withdrawal of air from the respective pneumatic 39 will cease; atmospheric air will be admitted thereto, and the pneumatic will be inflated, expand ing under the influence of the aii.tension in the chamber in which it is located and operating its corresponding Valve-member 38 to close the respective one of the ports 27,

28, 29 or 30. It will be seen that, upon the closing of any one or" the ports 27 to 30, the

one or more chambers 17 to 21 which are arranged above that port will be disconnected or shut off from communication with the chamber or chambers below that port and from communication therethrough with the conduit 11. It the valve-mechanism 31 is operated to close the port 27 the controller 12 will be thereby rendered ineliectivo, since its communication, as well as that of the port and chamber 1f, with the conduit 11 will be interrupted; the degree of air-tension produced in the action wind chest and in the remaining chambers 18, 19, 20 and 21 will be determined by the controller 13; and the sounding of the notes will be somewhat more powerful, since the controller 13 is adapted to operate upon the development of a some what greater degree of air'tension. Vfith the port 2'? closed, the admission oi atmos to that just described in connection wi h the controller 12, the power with which the notes are sounded depending upon which of the several valveemechanisms are operated. It the valve-mechanism 32 is operated to close the port 28, the controllers 12 and 13 will be thereby rendered ineffective and the admis sion of atmospheric air to the conduit 11 will be controlled mainly by the controller 1 1. It the valve-mechanism 33 is operated to close the port 29, the controllers 12, 13 and 1-1 will be thereby rendered inel'lectivc and the admission of atmospheric air will be controlled mainly by the controller 15. It the valve-mechanism 3st is operated to close the port 30, the controllers 12, 13, 1e and 15 will be thereby rendered ineffective and the admission of atmospheric air will. be controlled entirely by the controller 16. The controller 16, being the controller for effecting the highest degree of air-tension, servos a safety valve for the air-pump and there is no need, therefore, to provide a valvemechanism for rendering this controller ineliective.

It will. be seen, from the description thus far given, that the series arrangement and communication of the chambers 1? to 21 and their separate communication with their respective controllers permit the operation 0t any one selected valve-mechanism to inter rupt the communication of all such chambers and controllers as are concerned with the admission of atmospheric air at any degree of air-tension lower than the degree repre sented by that valve-mechanism. It is thus evident that such chambers and controllers are rendered ineflj'ective, since they are prevented from admitting any atmospheric air to the conduit 11 and from controlling the degree of air-tension produced in the action wind-chest. Furthermore, from the description already given of the ope"ation of the several valveanechanisms 31 to 34 and as will hereinafter appear :lrom the description Oij the construction of the controllers, it will be evident that such valve-mechanisins and con trollers as are concerned with the admission of atrnosyflicric air at any degree of airtension lower than the degree represented by the selected valve-mechanism will, at the same time, be rendered inactive, since the operation of any one selected valve-mechanism prevents the production of any air-tension in the chamber or chambers disconnected by its operation and, consequently, there is no operating power to effect the operation of the valve-mechanisms and controllers served by such chamber or Chi 1111 0313.

The controllers 12, 13, let. 15 and 16 com prise, respectively, collapsible chambers or bellows 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54, which cornmunicate, respectively, through the ports 22, 24, 25 and 26, with the chambers 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21. A description of the construction and operation of one or". the controllers will serve as a description for all, it being understood that, in the drawings, like reference characters refer to like parts oi? the different controllers. Considering" first, then, the construction of the controller 12, it is to be noted that, in addition to its collapsible chamber or bellows 50, it comprises a valve-construction a spring-construction 56 for resisting the collapse of the bellows, and an adjusting mechanism 57 for adjusting the spring-construction. The valve-construction comprises a portblocl: 58, secured to the movable leaf of the bellows 50; a valve 59, pivotally mounted at 60 on the port-block 58 and provided with a tail-like extension 61; a spring iulcrum 62, to which the end of the extension (31 secured at 63; and a bow-shaped surf (i l, for holding the valve 59 in eng agem with the adjacent face of the port-block 58. The port-block 58 is provided with a pasleading from a port 66 which is controlled by the valve 59 to a port 67 in the movable leaf of the bellows 50 (Fig. 4;). The va ve 59 is held in proper engagement with the port-block 58 by the action of the spring 641-, the ends of which bear upon the valve and the intern'iediat portion of which is held down by means or? the head of the screw 60, which extends through that portion of the spring and through the valve. The screw 60 thus provides adjustable means for ('leterminingthe hearing pressure of the spring 6% upon the valve 55) and also constitutes the pivot upon which both the spring and the valve swing. One end of the spring); is held in proper lateral position, with I'8S})OCt to the val re, by means of a pin ("38, which is fixed in the valve near its point or swinging end and which on tends through a slot 9 in the spring, the slot allowing free action of the spring in resiliently holding the valve properly pressed against the adjacent surface of the port-block The extension 61 of the valve is flexibly held by the s n'ing-it'ulcrum 62, to the ell'ect that the collapsing and expandingg; action ot the bellows 50 will cause a simultaneous swirnring of the valve to wen and close the port 66, such collapsing; rd expanding; action of the bellows involving movement of its movable leaf, the porth ocl: attached thereto, and the pivotscrew (50, all with respect to the relatively lined end of the extension (31. The springconstruction 56 comprises a pair of leafspringrs Til--70 that are each secured near one end thereo'l upon the movable leaf ol the bellows 50 and near the other end to a connecting yoke 71, the intermediate part ot the yoke having a swivel connection at 7? with the end-part of an adjusting screw 73, which is threaded through a :rraineniember 7-fl of the device. This screw-audyoke construction constitutes the ad ustingg mechanism 57 for zidiustinpthe spi in struction 56, the particular pu i ose which will be hereinafter descri ed.

Considering, now, the operation of the controller 12, and bearing in mind that a description of its operation is intended to serve as a description of the operation of all of the controllers, it will be assumed that the air-pu1np is in operation and that air being thereby withdrawn from the action wind-chest and, through the conduit 11, from the chamber 17, in the manner hereinbeiore described. Air will thus be withdrawn from the bellows 50 through the port 22, and the bellows will be partially col.- lapsed thereby. Such partial collapse of the bellows will involve movement of its movable leaf and a consequent bending or flexing of the springs 70, and the atmospheric air-inlet port- 66 will be opened in the manner also already described The degree of air-tension which will be developed by the air-pump will be determined by the effective resistance ollered by the springs 70 at such a point in their bending or llexure as will be coincident with the opening of the port 66 sufficiently to admit enough atmospheric air to so limit or prevent further increase in the degree of air-tension as to atmospheric air admitted through the port 66 will pass through passage and port 67 into the bellows 50, through port 22 into the chamber 17, through ports 27 to 30 and chambers 18 to 21, and through port 35 and passage 36 to the conduit 11. The extent to which port 66 will be opened (that is to say, the amount of atmospheric air which will be admitted therethrough) will always be dependent upon the amount of atmospheric air which is being admitted through the operation of the various mechanisms of: the instrument, including the note-sounding action, since the total amount of air passing through all of these devices must of necessity be the amount displaced by the operation of the air-pump, and the degree of airtension which will be developed by the airpum to effect such opening of the port 66 will be determined, in the manner just mentioned, by the effective resistance offered by the springs to the collapse of the bellows 50. Constant changes in the amount'ot at mospheric air admitted through the operation of the various mechanisms of the instrument cause spasmodic fluctuations in the de gree of airtension, and such fluctuations are automatically and sim ltaneously reflected in the operation of the controller 12, since the extent to which the movable leaf of the bellows 50 may bend or flex the springs 70 and effect the opening of the port 66 is de pendent upon the degree of air-tension, so that the result will be a similarly constantand proportionate automatic adjustment of the amount of atmospheric air admitted to the conduit 11. Increases in the degree of: air-tension will move the movable leaf of the bellows to further bend or flex the springs 70 until the air-admission port 66 has been opened sufliciently to admit enough atmospheric air to prevent further Increase in the degree of air-tension (not only within the bellows 50, but in the action wind-chest and in the air-pump itself, as well), while de creases in the degree of air-tension will relax or weaken the action of the movable leaf in the bending or flexing of the springs to an extent that will permit them to partially expand the bellows, moving the movable leaf until the air-admission port has been closed sufliciently to reduce the amount of atmospheric air admitted therethrough and arrest further decrease in the degree of airtension.

In my previously mentioned Patent, No. 1,359,698, of November 23rd, 19:20, the controller-bellows are shown and described as being alike in size, and the springs for resisting the collapse of each of the several bellows are described as being of relatively ditlerent strengths, to the effect that each of the air-admission-controlling mechanisms requires a different degree of rarefaction or" air to cause it to operate to admit atmospheric air. Mention is made, however, that this same effect may be obtained in other ways, such as by employing controller-beL lows of relatively different sizes. A description is also given in that patent of the separate means provided for obtaining individual and collective adjustment of the several air-admission-controlling mechanisms, the individual adjustment being obtained through separate adjustment of the controller-bellows-springs, and the collective adjustment being effected by collectively adjusting the extent to which the several controller-bellows must each collapse in order to effect and control the opening of their respective air-admission ports. This method oi collective adjustment of the several airadmission-controlling mechanisms provides for a collective adjustment or thedifl erent degrees of air-tension at which the different mechanisms are adapted to operate to admit atmospheric air, since the resistance of the respective springs of the different mechanisms increases with the extent of collapse of the different controller-bellows; furthermore, by constructing the springs for the different controller-bellows so that they possess relatively different degrees of stiffness, this collective adjustment affects each of the several. air-admission-controlling mechanisms difl'erently, the degree with which each is affected being determined by the stiffness or strength-gathering power of its respective springs.

Referring, now, to Figure 1 of the drawings forming a part of this specification, it will be seen that the controller-bellows 50 to 5st are of relatively diflerent sizes and, in connection with this, it is to be understood that the spring-constructions 56 are severally alike in the strength and stiffness of their springs 70. A comparison of this arrangement with the one just described as being shown in my previously mentioned patent will disclose that, in one important respect, the effects of the two arrangements are alike-i. e., each of the controllers requires a different degree of rarei action of air to cause it to operate to admit atmosphe-ric air. Tobe more explicit, the comparatively large bellows 50 of the controller 12, due to the greater surface-area therein exposed to the action of the air-tension, will bend or flex its springs 70 and effect the opening of its air-admission port 66 upon the development of a lighter degree of airtension than will the smaller bellows or the other controllers. The bellows of the other controllers 13 to 16, considered in the order of their respective reference numerals, being of progressively smaller area, will require progressively and proportionately greater degrees of air-tension to cause them to bend or flex their respective springs and effect the opening of their respective air-admission ports. Thus it will be seen that, as herein before stated, the controllers 12 to 16 differ from each other in their airinlet-controll.ing effects; the controller 12 is adapted to operate to admit atmospheric air upon the development of a comparatively light degree of airtension; and the other controllers, considered in the order of their respective reference numerals, are adapted to operate to admit atmospheric air upon the development of progressively greater degrees of air--tension. Several important advantages are obtained by this described employment of controller-bellows of relatively different sizes, which advantages will be presently explained, but it will be readily understood that the invention herein set forth may be applied with equal effectiveness, in many respects, to the alternative construction already referred to as being described in my previously mentioned patent. It may be desirable, and it is within the scope of this invention, to combine the use of controllerbellows of relatively different sizes with spring-constructions having springs of relatively different effective strength and stiflness.

The employment of controller-bellows of properly scaled, relatively different sizes affords numerous advantages, among which are (1) that all of the other parts of the several controllers, including the springs 70, may be made alike and interchangeable thereby economizing in the cost of manufacture and avoiding mistakes in the assembling of such parts; (2) that the different controllers will be unmistakably distin guishable from each other through the difference in size of their respective controllerbellows, and the proper selection and arrangement of the several controllers in the assembling of the device may therefore be much more conveniently and reliably accomlished than would be the case if controllerellows alike in size were employed and springs of different strength and stiffness had to be carried in stock and carefully selected for each of the controllers; (3) that the proper relationship between the degrees of air-tension represented by the different controllers may be approximately deter mined with dependable exactness and uniformity by first determining and then adhering to a proper scale of dimensions for the different controllenbellows, a further and more accurate individual adjustment of the difierent degrees of air-tension being afterwards obtainable through adjustment of the several adjusting mechanisms 57 to properly determine the resistance offered to the collapse of the different controller-bellows by the springs of the respective spring-constructions 56; and (a) that serious disarrangement of the proper relationship between the degrees of air-tension represented by the different controllers,

through tampering with the adjusting mechanisms 57 by inexperienced and uninformed persons, may be to a considerable extent provided against, since, as will be presently explained, the springs 7 0, so affected by the adjustment of the mechanisms 57, do not possess sufficient stiffness to be capable of radical or extreme variations in the degree of opposition they offer to the collapse of their respective controller-bellows. Other advantages afforded by the employment of controller-bellows of relatively different sizes will be pointed out as this description continues.

In referring to the method of collective adjustment of the several air-admissioncontrolling mechanisms employed in the construction described in my previously mentioned patent, it has been mentioned. that such method provided for a collective adjustment of the different degrees of airtension at which the different mechanisms were adapted to operate to omit atmospheric air, because the resistance of the respective springs of the different mechanisms increased with the extent of collapse of the respective controller-bellows. Explanation has also been made, in connection with the description of the operation of the controller 12 of the present device, that fluctuatio in the degree of air-tension caused by the operation of the various mechanisms of the instrument, including the note-sounding action, will result in proportionate automatic adjustments of the amount of atmospheric air admitted through the air inlet port 66, such automatic adjustments being caused by the said fluctuations, since the extent to which the movable leaf of the bellows 50 may bend or flex the springs 70 and effect the opening of the port (56 is itself dependent upon the degree of air-tension. The springs 70 must, therefore, possess sufficient stillness or strength-gathering power to enable the several controllers to effect such an adjustment in the amount of atmospheric air admitted through their respective ports 66 as will properly compensate for the amount of air admitted through the operation of the various mechanisms of the instrun'ient, but they should not be so stiff that, in order for the several controllers to effect such coi'i'ipensating, adjustments, unnecessary and undesirably excessive variations in the degree of air-tension will result. For example, springs of such stiflness or strength-gathering power should not be employed to oppose the collapse of the controller-bellows as will cause excessive variations in the degree of air-tension to be brought about through the sounding of notes in groups of varying sizes. The simultaneous sounding of two notes should cause a certain responsive positioning of the movable leaf of the active controller-bellows and llt) the simultaneous sounding of ten notes should cause a responsive change in the position of the movable leaf, in order to provide the proper-compensating changein the amount of atmospheric air admitted through the port 66, but such a change should not involve too great a drop in the degree of air-tension. Now, in following out the method described in my previously mentioned patent providing for a collective adjustment of the air-tensi0ns represented by the different air-admission-controlling mechanisms, which method involves the collec 've adjustment of the extent to which the respective controller-bellows must collapse (and the degree to which the springs must consequently be bent) in order to effect and control the opening of their airadmission ports, the natural desire to provide for a considerable range in such collective adjustment tends to the employment of excessively strong springs and to an excessive reduction in that part of the movement of the movable leaf of the controller-bellows which is employed in the automatic opera-- tion of the valve to control the adn'iission of atmospheric air. In the present construction, the employment of controllerbellows of properly scaled, relatively different sizes avoids the neiessity of employing springs of relatively different strengths, and the springs therefore possess only such degree of stiffness and strength-gathering power as will provide a moderate range in the more accurate individual adjustment of the different degrees of air tension already described as being obtainable through adjustn'ient of the several adjusting mechanisms 57. The means herein provided, and which will now be described, for effecting the collective adjustment of the different degrees of air-tension does not involve the springs '4'0 and is not concerned with the strength-gathering features of any springs, nor does it involve any changes in the extent of collapse of the controller-bellows.

Bearings are secured upon the framemember and support a camshaft- 76, which extends transversely of the several controller-bellows and is provided with a plurality of cams T7, 78 and 79, one for each controller-bellows. The cams are arranged along the shaft in proper position with respect to their respective controller-bellows and are fixed in any desirable manner to turn with the shaft, The shaft 76 is pro vided with an adjusting lever 80, which may be secured in any desirable position along the shaft and arranged in any preferred manner to provide for its convenient manipulation. In Figures 2 and 3, the lever is shown projecting through a slot in the frameqnember 74 and as having a detentmeniber 81 projecting from its under side for cooperation with the notches 82 in a scaleplate 83 positioned upon the outer face ofthe frame-member. Secured upon the movable leaf of each controller-bellows is a loop or yoke 84 which is engaged by the free end of leafspring 85.

lcaf-spring 85 is secured to the frame-n1cmber 74: and the intermediate portion thereof is ri "-'ang'c l to be engaged by one of the control er-bcllows is likewise determined by the crit c; t areas of the several bellows.

this son, if the cams were all of the same pitch, while an adjustment of the lever would eticct exactly similar changes in p7 of res' tance offered by each of several. swings to the collapse of its cctive contrcller-bellows, such an adjust t would affect the degrees of air-tension s nted by the several controllers difyand proportionately, in accordance the diii'erent areas of the several controllenbcllows. However, the cams 77 and 79 d r somewhat from each other and from time other cams 78, as shown in Figures 6, 'Z and 8, and it may be best to outline the reasons for these differences before dcscribing them in detail.

In the original adjustment of the device, the adjusting lever is placed in its midposition and the several adjusting screws 78 are each turned to adjust the strain upon the s 'irings 70 and thus effect, in the manner hereinbefore described, an accurate indi vidual adjustment of the degrees of airtension represented by the different controllers, in accordance with a pro-arranged standard or scale. This mid-position of the lever 80 is therefore to be considered as its normal position. In editing the clifferent musical selections to be played, the artist-editor proceeds with his work with the lever in this normal position, providing the different music-sheets with expression-controlling perforations (some of which selectively control the operation of the valve mechanisms 31 to 34 to vary the degree of airtension which effects the sounding of the notes) which he so arranges, with respect to the note-controlling perforations therein, as to produce the musical expression-eifects he desires. In obtaining these expressioncfl'ects with the lever 80 in normal position, he therefore employs the standardized degrees of air-tension, and he so employs The opposite end of each llU liit) them that, at times, the notes will be barely sounded, while, at other times, the notes will be sounded with the full power available. Indeed, in some musical selections, the editing thereof may be such as to employ the complete range of expression-effects ohtaii'iable through the use of all of the different degrees of air-tension and of the various other expression-centrolling de 'ices of the instrument, as well.

In some instances, the general playing power of the instrument may be considered too loud or heavy and, in other instances, t may be considered too soft or light. It 1S safe to assume that, almost without exception, when the playing is considered too loud, it is the loudness of the louder effects which is objectionable and, when the playing is considered too soft, it is the softness of the softer effects which is objectionable. The present device is arranged, therefore, to permit the higher degrees of air-tension to be collectively and proportionately decreased without decreasing the lower degrees to a point at which the already barely perceptible sounding of the notes would be in danger of being lost altogether, and to permit the lower degrees of air-tension to be collecively and proportionately increased without increasing the higher degrees to a point at which the hammer-stems or other parts of the instrument might be damaged. In other words, the two extreme degrees of air-tension are kept within the bounds established by the aforesaid original adjustment of the device and in accordance with the aforesaid pre-arranged standard or scale. This arrangement is obtained, in the present construction, by so shaping the cams 77 and 79 that an adjustment of the lever 80 from its normal position in the direction for reducing the general playing power of the instrument will not lessen the resistance of the spring 85 for the controller 12 and, consequently, the lowest degree of air-tension (which is the degree represented by that controller) may not thus be decreased beyond its normal or standardized adjustment; and an adjustment of the lever 80 from its normal position in the reverse direction for increasing the general playing power of the instrument will not increase the resistance of the spring 85 for the controller 16, with the result that the highest degree of air-tension (which is the degree represented by that controller) may not thus be increased beyond its normal or standardized adjustment.

In Figure 6, that portion of the face of cam 77 which bears against its spring 85 during the adjustment of the lever 80 from its normal position in a power-reducing direction is the portion between the points A-B, and it will be seen that this portion is shaped to follow the arc of a circle. It will also be seen that the portion of the face of this cam between the points 13-6 is shaped to follow the curve of a spiral. In Figure 7, it will be seen that the entire spring-bearing face of each cam 78 (of which there are three, as shown in Figure 1) is shaped to follow the curve of a spiral, preferably of the same pitch as is the portion B-C of cam 77, and, in Figure 8, it will be seen that the portion C--D of cam 7 9 is also shaped to follow the curve of a spiral, preferably similar in pitch to that of the cams 78, while the portion D -l l of this cam is shaped to follow the are of a circle. This last-mentioned port cn. (l)-E) of the face of cam 79 is the portion which bears against its spring 85 during the adjustment of the lever 80 from its normal position in a power-increasing direction.

hereinbefore stated, adjustment of the lever 80 to place the detent-n'iember 81 in one of the several notches 82 will rock the cam-shaft 76 and turn the cams to adjust the strain placed thereby upon each of the several springs 85 and thus determine the i lance offered by each spring to the collapse of its respective controller-bellows. the lever is adjusted in one direction f nn its normal. position, the bearing pressure of the three cams 78 and the cam 79 against their respective springs 85 will be lessened and the resisting effect of these springs upon their respective bellows 51, 52. 5?) and will be decreased, but the described shape of the cam 77 will prevent thisadjustment from lessening the bearing pressure of this cam against its spring 85 and the resisting effect of this spring upon the be lows 50 will not be decreased. The relatively different sizes of the bellows 51, 52, 53 and 54: will translate this uniform decrease in the resistance of their respec tive springs 85 into a proportionate reduction of the degrees of air-tension represenled by thes several controllers. It is evident, therefore, that the adjustment of the lever 80 in a power-reducing direction from its normal position will effect a reduction in the gei'ieral playing power of the instrument, without sacrificing the softest or pianissimo effects and without disarrangement of the relative musical expression-elfects. It may be well to point out, at this juncture, that, although the power-1e ducing adjustment of the lever 80 will not disturb the adjustment of the springs of the controller 12, the degree of air-tension represented by this controller may be modified to some slight extent by this adjustment of the lever since, as hereinbefore described, the lowest degree of air-tension may not be entirely determined by the controller 11, the controller 13 being partially operable by the same degree of air-tension which causes the operation of the controller 12, and a decrease in the resistance of the springs to the collapse of? the controllerbellows 51L will therefore have some ell'ect upon the susceptibility of the controller 13 to suchlowest degree or t ll the lever 80 is adji... direction from its normal position (opposite from the poweraeducing direction described), tie bearing pressure of the cam 77 and the three cams T against their respective sin-lugs 85 w'll be increased and the resisting eiloct of these r their respective bellows 5G, 51, 52 will be increased, but the described ol the cam '79 will prevent this from increasing the bearing pressure 0 this cam against its spr ng 85 and the resisting etl'ect oi. this sp g upon the bellows 54 will not be increased. The relatively dill'erent s es of the bellows bl, 52 and 53 will translate this unilorm increase in the resistance oi their respective springs 85 into a proportionate increase in the dgrees of air-tension re ented by these power-increasing direction position will ellcct an increase in the gen 'eral playing power of the instrun'ient, with out disarrangem nt of the l GXPTGSSlOlPGllQCliS and wit we the loudest or fort imo enects to a degree it result in damage to the more delicate parts of the instrument.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United St tes Letters Patent is:

11,1 1.. device tor controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible chamber and a valve controlled thereby, av plurality of springs, one acting on each chamber, and means for collectively adjusting a plurality of said sp'ings which act upon dilierent chambers.

2. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each. comp. 'n?" i 3 collapsible chamber, a valve controlled thereby, a spring for resisting, the collapse of said chamber, and means for individually adjusting said spring, a plurality of springs, one acting on each chamber, and means for collectively adjusting said plurality of springs.

3. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical. instruments,having a plurality of collapsible chambers, a plurality oi valves controlled there respectively, and sprn a means for controlling one of said chambers individually and a plura ity of said chambers collectively. l. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having plurality of collapsible chambers, a plurality of valves controlled thereby respectively, springmeans for controlling the collapse of said chambers, and means for causing said spring-means to control one oi said chambers individually and a plurality of said chambers collectively.

5. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible .hamber and a valve controlled thereby, a plurality of springs, one acting on each chamber, and means for collect' cl, adjusting a plurality of said springs which act upon different chambers; said chambers having different effective areas and said springs being oi the same strength, whereby a chamber having a larger effective area will be more responsive to variations in tension than one of smal or effective area, and whereby duplicate springs n'iay .l .used for the different regulating mechanisms. 7

6. An erpressioudevice for controlling the production of different degrees or tonal power, comprising a plurality of devices, one for each degree of tonal power, and means whereby said devices may be controlled collectively to cause variations in the tonal power controlled by said devices, and whereby some of said devices n .y be con trolled collectively to cause variations in the tonal power controlled thereby without attecting the tonal power controlled by another of said devices.

7. An expression-device for controlling the production of different degrees of tonal power, comprising a plurality of devices, one for each degree of tonal power, and means whereby said devices may be controlled collectively to cause variations in the tonal power controlled by said devices, and whereby some or" said devices may be controlled collectively to cause reduction in the tonal power controlled thereby without causing reduction in the tonal power controlled by another of said devices.

8. An expression-device for controlling the production or different oegrces of tonal power, comprising a plurality of devices, one for each degree of tonal power, and means whereby said devices may be controlled collectively to cause variations in the tonal power controlled by said devices, and whereby some of said devices may be controlled collectively to cause an increase in the tonal power controlled thereby without causing an increase in the tonal power controlled by another of said devices.

9. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instriunenl's, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible chamber and a valve controlled thereby, a plurality of springs, one for each chamber, for resisting the collapse thereof, and means for controlling said. springs to collectively vary 10. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each com n'is ng a collapsible chamber and a valve controlled thereby, a plurality of leaf springs, one for each chamber, for resisting the collapse thereof, and means for controlling said springs collectively, comprisim an oscillatable member acting individually on the leaf springs which resist the collapse of diii'erent chambers.

11. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instrrunents, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible chamber and a valve controlled thereb -J, each valve being located outside its chamber and controlling the admission of atmospheric air thereto, said valve being pivotally mounted on said chan'ibernml having one end pivoted on a fulcrum, a plurality of springs, one for each chamber, for resisting the collapse thereof, and means for controlling said springs to collectively vary the resistance offered to the collapse of a phnrality of said chambers.

12. A regulator comprising a collapsible chamber, a val e controlled thereby, located outside said chamber and controlling the admission of atmospheric air thereto, and a spring fulcrum to which one end of said valve is secured; said valve being pivotally mounted on said chamber.

13. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having means for controlling air-pressure at a plurality of predetermined, selectable, individually differ; degrees, a plurality of springs acting upon said means, and a plurality of adjusting means for adjustin said device to vary the different degrees of ail-pressure controlled thereby; one of said plurality of adjusting means comprising means for eifecting the individual adjustment of one of said degrees of air-pressure with relation to another thereof, and another of said plurality of adj usting means comprising means for effecting a collective adjustment of a plurality of said springs which affect individually different degrees of air-pressure.

14. A device for controlling air-pressure for nusical instruments, having means for controlling air-pressure at a plurality of predetermined, selectable, individually dill'erent degrees, a plurality of springs acting upon said means, and a plurality of adjusting means for adjusting said device to vary the i'liiii'crent degrees of air-pressure controlled thereby; one of said plurality of adjusting means comprising means for ell'ccting the individual adjustment of one of said degrees of air-pressure with relation to another thereof, and another of said plurality of adjusting means comprising means for effecting a collective adjustment of said plurality of springs, and thereby a collective adjustment of the different degrees of air-prcssure.

15. A device for controlling air-pressure for n'uisical instruments, having means for controlling air-pressure at a plurality of predetermined, selectable, individually ditlerent degrees, a plurality of springs acting upon said means. and a plurality of adj usting means for adjusting said device to vary the different degrees of air-pressure controlled thcreby; one of said plurality of adjusting means comprising means for effecting the individual adjustment of one of said degrees of air-pressure with relation lo another thereof, and another of said plurality of adj ustiug means comprising means for effecting a collective adjustment of said plurality of springs, which affects the adji'isl ment of one of said springs differently than it affects the adjustment of another thereof.

16. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having means for controlling air-pressure at a plurality of predetermined, selectable, individually different degrees, a plurality of springs acting upon said means, and a plurality of adjusting means for adjusting said device to vary the dillercnt degrees of air-pressure controlled thereby; one of paid plurality of adjusting means comprising means for effecting the individual adjustment of one of said degrees of air-pressure with relation to another thereof, and another of said pliu'ality of adjustin means comprising means for eilccl: ing a collective adjustment of said plurality of springs, which affects the adjustment of the several degrees of air-pressure diiiereutly.

17. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible chamber and a valve contr lled thereby, a plurality of springs, one acting on each chamber, and means for collectively adjusting said plurality of springs to effect a different adjustment of one thereof which acts on one chamber as compared with another thereof which acts on another chamber.

18. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible chamber and a valve controlled thereby, a plurality of springs, one acting on each chamber, and means for collectively adjusting a plurality of said springs which act upon different chan'ibers, comprising a plurality of collectively adjustable elements which act individually upon said springs.

19. A device for controlling air-pressru'e for musical instruments, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible chamber and a valve controlled thereby, a plurality of springs, one acting on til) each chamber, and means for collectively adjusting said plurality of springs to effect a different adjustment of one thereof which acts on one chamber as compared with another thereof which acts on another chamber, comprising a plurality of collectively adjustable elements which act individually upon said springs.

20. A device for controllingair-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of collapsible chambers, a plurality of valves controlled thereby respectively, and springmeans for controlling each of said chambers individually and all of said chambers collec tively.

21. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of collapsible chambers, a plurality of valves controlled thereby respectively, springmeans for controlling the collapse of said chambers, means for adjusting said springmeans individually with respect to one of said chambers, and means for adjusting said spring-means collectively with respect to a plurality of said chambers.

22. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of collapsible chambers, a plurality of valves controlled thereby respectively, spring-means for controlling the collapse of said chambers, means for adjusting said spring-means individually with respect to one of said chambers, and means for adjusting said adjusting means to effect the adjustment of said spring-means collectively with respect to a plurality of said chambers.

28. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible chamber and a valve controlled thereby, a plurality of springs, one acting on each chamber, and means for collectively adjusting a plurality of said springs which act upon different chambers; said chambers having different effective areas, whereby a similar action of said springs upon said chambers will be differently translated by the different regulating mechanisms.

24. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of. regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible chamber and a valve controlled thereby, a plurality of springs, one acting on each chamber, and means for collectively adjusting a plurality of said springs which act upon different chambers; said chambers having different effective areas, whereby a similar adjustment of said springs will be differently translated by the different regu lating mechanisms.

25. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible chamber and a valve controlled thereby, a plurality of springs, one acting on each chamber, and means for collectively adjusting a plurality of said springs which act upon different chambers; said chambers having different effective areas, whereby a similar action of said springs upon said chambers will be differently translated by the (lif ferent regulating mechanisms, the difference in such translation being proportionate with the different effective areas of said chambers.

26. A device for controlling air-pressure for musical instruments, having a plurality of regulating mechanisms, each comprising a collapsible chamber and a valve controlled thereby, a plurality of springs, one acting on each chamber, and means for collectively adjusting a plurality of said springs which act upon different chambers; said chambers havdifierent efiective areas, whereby a similar adjustment of said springs will be differently translated by the different regulating mechanisms, the difference in such translation being proportionate with the different effective areas of said chambers.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

J. CLARKE HAGE Y. 

